Oklahoma’s future nonconference schedule may look a little different now that Roger Denny is in charge, even if the program’s appetite for big games isn’t going away.
The Sooners have made a habit of loading up on headline matchups outside the conference. That approach was a hallmark of former athletics director Joe Castiglione, who arranged home-and-home series with Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami, Florida State, Alabama and Tennessee, along with Nebraska and UCLA. Oklahoma is finishing off another one of those showcases this season, heading to Michigan in Week 2 after the Wolverines came to Norman last September.
And there’s still more already on the books. Oklahoma has home-and-home series scheduled with Nebraska in 2029-30 and Clemson in 2035-36, plus return trips against SMU in 2027 in Arlington, Texas, and Houston in 2028.
But Denny’s comments Thursday pointed to a possible shift in how the Sooners balance those attractive matchups against the realities of the modern schedule. As more schools try to protect their College Football Playoff chances by avoiding an early loss and preserving an extra home date, Oklahoma could face the same pressure to be more cautious.
"I value (marquee nonconference games), but at the same time, I hate when we only play six home games," Denny said Thursday during an extended conversation with a small group of local reporters. "It's really hard to find opportunities to play marquee opponents and not put ourselves in a position where we're only playing six home games."
In Other News...
Sooners May Have Landed A Backfield Difference Maker After All
Jonathan Hatton Jr.s recruiting path was winding even by modern standards, but Oklahoma never really stopped being part of the conversation. The four-star running back first committed to the Sooners in October 2023, backed off that pledge in December 2024 and later chose Texas A&M in March 2025 before flipping back to Oklahoma in November 2025, just ahead of signing day. For a program trying to keep building out its offense, landing a player with that kind of track record matters almost as much as the talent itself.
Brent Venables recently shared a story from Hattons recruiting process and made clear why the staff kept pushing. The Oklahoma coach praised Hattons physical and mental traits, and the Sooners believe he can become a key offensive piece once he gets on campus. The only question left now is how quickly that promise turns into production. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Freshman Back Is Giving Sooners A New Reason To Watch This Battle
Jonathan Hatton Jr. is making one of the quieter but more important kinds of preseason progress for Oklahoma, the sort that usually decides whether a freshman back gets on the field or spends his first fall learning from the sideline. In practice, he has been showing early growth in recognizing protections and reading defensive fronts, a key step for any young running back trying to earn trust in a system that demands more than just carrying the ball.
John Mateer has noticed the work Hatton is putting in, pointing to his work ethic and his willingness to pick up blocking assignments, both of which matter when coaches are sorting out playing time in the backfield. With the Sooners also dealing with concerns about the health of other running backs, Hattons development adds another layer to a competition worth watching as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Is Closing In On A Recruiting Win Nobody Expected
The early work in Oklahomas 2028 class has started to draw attention, and Jay Schell is a big reason why. The four-star linebacker from Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High School in Georgia has become one of the more intriguing national targets on the Sooners board, with recruiting experts now projecting Oklahoma as the likely landing spot even as Clemson and Georgia stay heavily involved. He has picked up offers from a long list of major programs, which is part of what makes this feel like the kind of battle that can swing quickly once a prospect starts narrowing things down.
For now, Schell has not released a final list of schools or made a decision, so there is still plenty of time for the picture to change. But if Oklahoma can finish this one, it would be an eyebrow-raising win for Brent Venables and a meaningful one for a class that currently has just one commitment. The Sooners are expected to add more recruits soon, and this is the type of name that can give an emerging group some real national credibility early. [Read more 🡒]